1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mirror device for a vehicle provided to a vehicle exterior.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional door mirror device for a vehicle is provided with, for example, a substantially plate-like frame. The frame is provided with a holding portion at a vehicle outer rear side thereof, and a mirror angle adjusting device, which rockably holds a rear-view mirror, is coupled to the holding portion. The mirror angle adjusting device rocks the mirror to adjust a surface angle of the mirror.
The door mirror device for a vehicle is further provided with an retracting device, which includes a stand made of a metal and a casing member made of a resin. The stand is fixed to the vehicle body (a door mirror stay provided on a door of the vehicle) and rotatably supports the casing member. The casing member is coupled with a supporting portion formed at a vehicle inner rear side of the frame, and the retracting device thus supports the mirror via the frame and the mirror angle adjusting device. When the retracting device rotates the casing member with respect to the stand, the mirror is accommodated or caused to stand.
The frame, the mirror angle adjusting device and the retracting device are accommodated in a door mirror visor, and the door mirror visor is fixed to the frame.
However, in the above-described door mirror device for a vehicle, the weight of the door mirror visor is acting on the frame, and the weights of the mirror angle adjusting device and the mirror are acting on the holding portion of the frame. Further, the weights of the mirror angle adjusting device, the mirror and the frame itself are acting on the supporting portion of the frame. Therefore, the frame is required to be sufficiently rigid (particularly at the holding portion, the supporting portion and a portion connecting them). Sufficient rigidity of the frame is also required in order to reduce chattering of the mirror so that an image reflected in the mirror is not affected. To this end, the frame is made thick by forming the frame of a resin or by die casting or the like. However, this makes the frame expensive.
On the other hand, if the frame is produced by pressing an iron plate, a cost for producing the frame can be reduced, however, sufficient rigidity of the frame cannot be ensured.
Further, when the casing member deflects due to a vibration of the vehicle, a wind pressure, and the like, the mirror chatters via the frame and the mirror angle adjusting device, and a visibility of a rearward view reflected in the mirror is impaired (particularly, since a deflection of the casing member in a vehicle longitudinal direction changes the angle of the mirror, the visibility of the rearward view reflected in the mirror tends to be impaired).
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a mirror device for a vehicle provided with a frame which can be produced at a low cost and has sufficient rigidity, and in which a visibility of a rearward view reflected in a mirror can be improved.
A first aspect of the present invention is a mirror device for a vehicle, the mirror device comprising: (a) a frame comprising a frame-forming metal plate formed by a pressing process, the frame including a holding portion, a supporting portion, and a drawn portion, the drawn portion being disposed at a portion connecting the holding and supporting portions to one another, with the holding, supporting and drawn portions each being drawn by carrying out a drawing process on the frame-forming metal plate; (b) a holding member for holding a rear-view mirror, coupled to the holding portion; and (c) a supporting member coupled to the supporting portion, with the supporting member mountable to a vehicle.
The frame of the mirror device for a vehicle includes the holding portion and the supporting portion. The holding member for holding the mirror is coupled with the holding portion and the supporting member fixed to the vehicle body is coupled with the supporting portion. Thus, the supporting member supports the mirror via the frame and the holding member. Therefore, the holding portion, the supporting portion and a portion connecting these two portions of the frame are required to have high rigidity in order to reduce chattering of the mirror so that an image in the mirror is not affected.
Further, the holding portion of the frame may hold not only the mirror but also, for example, the holding member such as the mirror angle adjusting device for adjusting the surface angle of the mirror, and the supporting portion of the frame may hold a supporting member such as the retracting device for accommodating the mirror or for causing the mirror to stand. Therefore, in order to hold these heavy items (the mirror angle adjusting device and the retracting device) with certainty, the holding portion, the supporting portion and the portion connecting these two portions of the frame are required to have high rigidity.
Since the holding portion and the supporting portion are respectively formed by drawing the frame-forming metal plate which has been formed by pressing, the holding portion and the supporting portion respectively have sufficient rigidity. Further, since the portion connecting the holding portion and the supporting portion is provided with the drawn portion formed by drawing, the connecting portion also has sufficient rigidity provided by the drawn portion. Thus, the frame can have sufficient rigidity. Therefore, chattering of the mirror can be reduced so that an image in the mirror is not affected, and the frame can hold the heavy items (the mirror angle adjusting device and the retracting device) with certainty.
In addition, since the frame is formed from the frame-forming metal plate, the frame can be produced at a low cost.
The mirror device for a vehicle of the present invention is preferable that the supporting portion is drawn to a level of depth deeper than the holding portion.
Since the supporting portion of the frame supports an entire mirror assembly (including, for example, the mirror, the mirror angle adjusting device (the supporting device), the door mirror visor, and the like), it is required to have the highest rigidity.
The depth of drawing of the supporting portion of the frame is deeper than that of the holding portion of the frame to provide a difference in level at the portion connecting them so that the supporting portion of the frame is provided with a higher rigidity. Thus, the supporting portion of the frame can hold the entire mirror assembly with certainty.
A second aspect of the present invention is a mirror device for a vehicle comprising: (a) a frame for at least one of directly and indirectly holding a rear-view mirror; (b) a projecting portion integrally formed at the frame and projecting towards the vehicle front side or the vehicle rear side with respect to the frame when the mirror device is in use with a vehicle; and (c) a supporting member coupled with the frame and the projecting portion for supporting the mirror, and mountable to the vehicle.
In this mirror device for a vehicle, the supporting member fixed to the vehicle body supports the mirror via the frame.
The projecting portion projecting toward the vehicle front side or the vehicle rear side is integrally formed at the frame, and the supporting member is coupled with the two portions: the frame and the projecting portion. Thus, the frame and the projecting portion can prevent the supporting member from being deflected by vibration of the vehicle, wind pressure, or the like, and chatter of the mirror generated via the frame can be prevented, thereby improving the visibility of a rearward view reflected in the mirror. Particularly, deflection of the supporting member in the vehicle longitudinal direction can be prevented by the projecting portion, and therefore a change of an angle of the mirror due to the deflection can be prevented to effectively improve the visibility of a rearward view reflected in the mirror.
Furthermore, even when strength of the supporting member is low, the frame and the projecting portion can prevent a deflection of the supporting member. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase a thickness of the supporting member to increase the strength of the supporting member. Thus, the supporting member does not to be large and the supporting member (such as the retracting device) can be installed in a small size car (such as a light car).
The mirror device for a vehicle of the present invention preferably, further comprising a coupling member, wherein the projecting portion comprises a vertical wall substantially perpendicular with respect to, and integrally connected to the frame, and a parallel wall substantially parallel to the frame, and the supporting member is coupled with the frame and the projecting member by the coupling member being inserted through the frame, the supporting member, and the parallel wall, with the supporting member enclosed by the frame, and the vertical and parallel walls.
The supporting member is fixed to the frame and the parallel wall with the coupling member being inserted through the frame, the supporting member and the parallel wall in a state in which the supporting member is enclosed by the frame, the vertical wall (a side wall which is substantially vertical with respect to and integral with the frame) and the parallel wall (a side wall which is substantially parallel to the frame and integral with the vertical wall) of the projecting portion. Therefore, the supporting member can be firmly coupled with the frame and the projecting portion with certainty, thereby further improving the visibility of a rear view reflected in the mirror.
In addition, since the supporting member is fixed to the frame and the parallel wall by inserting the coupling member in one direction (a direction in which the coupling member passes through the frame, the supporting member and the parallel wall), the supporting member can be easily coupled with the frame and the projecting portion.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of forming a mirror device for a vehicle comprising the steps of: (a) pressing a metal into a plate for use as a frame; (b) drawing the plate to form a holding portion, a supporting portion, and a drawn portion between the holding and supporting portions; (c) coupling to the holding portion a holding member for holding a mirror; and (d) coupling to the supporting portion a supporting member mountable to a vehicle.